Joscelin Verreuil
|Appearances = |Mentioned = }} Joscelin Verreuil is a major character of the Kushiel's Legacy series. He is a member of the Cassiline Brotherhood and is the consort of Phèdre nó Delaunay. He has two brothers, Luc and Mahieu, as well as three sisters. He is from Siovale. Appearance Joscelin is extremely good looking. Phèdre claims that he is beautiful enough to be an adept of Cereus House. His hair is golden blond,usually tied back in a club, and his eyes are a bright blue. He is tall and well-built, with the features of a provincial noble. He typically wears his grey Cassiline uniform, even after he is declared anathema. He is always seen with his daggers, vambraces and sword. Biography Joscelin appears in all six books. Early Life Joscelin was the middle son of Chevalier Millard Verreuil and his wife, Lady Ges. Because the Verreuils were a very traditional family, Joscelin grew up knowing he would be sent to the Cassiline Brotherhood at age ten. From the time he joined the Brotherhood, he was no longer permitted to see his family. He received the rigorous training of a Cassiline Brother for ten years before being assigned to his first wards at age twenty. In Kushiel's Dart Delaunay's Household After Guy's death, Delaunay requested a Cassiline Brother be assigned to his household. Joscelin was the one who was chosen. He was extremely displeased about this assignment, thinking it some kind of punishment. He tried to leave Delaunay's service after he allowed Childric d'Essoms to prick Phèdre's throat with a dagger. Delaunay refused his request and Joscelin remained assigned to his household. Joscelin went along with Phèdre on her assignations to protect her, but made his disgust over what she did extremely clear. After Phèdre made her marque from an assignation on the Longest Night with Melisande Shahrizai accompanied her to her final appointment with the marquist, Robert Tielhard. While they were there, a messenger from Quintilius Rousse arrived to give them a message and warn them Delaunay's house was being watched. They raced back home, but they were too late. They found Delaunay and the entire household dead. His pupil Alcuin nó Delaunay survived just long enough to tell them that Delaunay was Princess Ysandre de la Courcel's oathsworn protector. Phèdre and Joscelin rushed to the palace, where they sought an audience with Ysandre. When that failed, they sought out Thelesis de Mornay, but were turned away. They had the misfortunate to run into Melisande, feigned ignorance of the situation and a desire to help. She brought the two to her rooms, where she drugged them. Melisande proceeded to torture Phèdre for information and gave her two unconscious captives to Isidore d'Aiglemort, who sold them into slavery among the Skaldi. Slavery in Skaldia In Kushiel's Chosen Joscelin is housed with Phèdre as her unofficial Consort, as the two of them at last are free to give way to their newfound love for one another, following the events of . Unfortunately for Joscelin, Phèdre announces her return to Naamah's service after receiving her sangoire cloak which was sent to her by Melisande Shahrizai. This sends Joscelin spiraling into conflict as he does not wish to remain Phèdre's lover while she ventures out on assignations, but nor does he wish to leave her service. In the end, he swears to protect and serve, in the Cassiline fashion, declaring that it is the one vow which he has yet to break and would keep it until death itself. There is an obvious depression and agony about Joscelin's character for most of the novel, as the events unfold and they travel from Terre d'Ange to La Serenissima. The worst occurs when Phèdre befriends and unwittingly ensnares a Serenissiman noble, Severio Stregazza, who at one point even requests Phèdre's hand in marriage. Phèdre declines his offer, and on the same night, seduces Joscelin into a final passionate encounter. Immediately afterward, Joscelin departs from Phèdre's company, stating that not only is he not needed, while she dallies around La Serenissima with her three sailors for protection (Phèdre's Boys), but that she seduced him into breaking yet another vow. His departure at this time ironically is both good and bad. The next day, Phèdre is caught out in her search for Melisande, by Melisande herself, and the traitor Benedicte de la Courcel whom she has secretly wed. Melisande and Benedicte slay two of Phèdre's Boys, and throw Phèdre into the island prison of Dolorosa]. Phèdre remarks more than once that if Joscelin had not left and had been with them, perhaps they might have survived, all of them - or perhaps he too, would have been slain. It is many, many months later that Joscelin is reunited with Phèdre, having thought her dead for all of that time. After his failed rescue at La Dolorosa, he remained ensconced in the Yeshuite's quarter of La Serenissima, where he knew he would be safely hidden from Melisande and her traitorous forces. Upon seeing Phèdre alive, Joscelin's character is forever changed; he reiterates his undying love for her, and promises never to leave her side again. Indeed, when they make love that same night, Phèdre speaks of something having 'loosened' in Joscelin, and from that point on, it is clear that he has become certain, more than ever, of his love for Phèdre. At the end of the novel, Joscelin is finally declared as Phèdre's official Consort - this is as much as they might do to proclaim their status as a couple, as they cannot wed without violating Joscelin's remaining vow. It is enough for the two of them. In Kushiel's Avatar In Kushiel's Scion In Kushiel's Justice In Kushiel's Mercy Phèdre and Joscelin want to help their foster son Imriel nó Montrève de la Courcel the challenge laid down by Queen Ysandre—to find his mother Melisande that he might marry the Dauphine Sidonie de la Courcel. They plan to go accompany him to Cythera—where they believe Melisande to be—once Carthage's emissaries leave Terre d'Ange. Of course, he forgets about this once Carthage's spell takes hold, as he was in the City of Elua during the marvel. He then believes, as does everyone else, that Sidonie is in love with Astegal and has gone to Carthage to marry him. Joscelin and Phèdre take care of Imriel during his month of madness. When the spell protecting Imriel ended, Joscelin and Phèdre continued to believe Imriel to be ill, as Imriel claims he was in love with Sidonie, with whom Imriel had previously not been close. They take Imriel to a temple to Eisheth so that he might be healed. As the country prepares for civil war, Joscelin promisses Ysandre that he will perform the terminus on her rather than be killed by the rebels should it appear they will lose. References Category:House Montrève Category:Delaunay Household Category:Cassiline Brotherhood Category:House Verreuil